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mib@makingitbig.com |
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Sally E. Smith is a passionate supporter and advocate for plus-size women. She has been the editor-in-chief for BBW Magazine and was the executive director of NAAFA for 11 years. She is also a long-time MIB customer and we are very excited to feature a series of her articles written from the perspective of a plus size woman. |
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Sally's Archives
Love Your Body, Love Your Breasts Natural Fibers: Feeling Like a Natural Woman Thriving During the Holiday Season
Letting Love Flow |
Movin' and Groovin'
Being an Olympics fanatic, I felt mixed emotions as the flame in Beijing was extinguished on Sunday. While I’m sorry to see the games end, I don’t mind forgoing the sleep deprivation and the roller coaster of sentiments that have accompanied “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” over the past two weeks. As always, watching the athletes perform triggered thoughts of the role that plus-size women play in the world of sports, and the overarching issue of the obstacles that we as a community face in our quest to achieve fitness. Although they didn’t get primetime coverage, I was rooting for our plus-size sisters in Beijing. Cheryl Haworth, the 315-pound U.S. bronze medalist in weightlifting during the 2000 games, finished a disappointing sixth this year, having undergone reconstructive elbow surgery. But South Korea’s Jang Mi-Ran, at 247 pounds, smashed three world records on her way to weightlifting gold. The silver medalist in the event, 368-pound Olha Korobka of the Ukraine, was later quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “If there is a disco in the Olympic Village, now I have the time so I’ll go and dance.” You go, girlfriend! |
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Cooling Down and
Heating up with Fabulous Fall Fashion
It won’t be long before the sweltering days of summer melt into brisk fall mornings. As a Californian, I’m anticipating cool rains that will refresh the parched land that’s been ablaze for what seems like months. In other parts of the country, leaf peepers are eagerly anticipating brilliant colors from trees that dazzle with a final burst of energy before their winter slumber.
Just as the color palette of nature takes on a deeper, richer hue with the changing seasons, so does fall fashion. That’s why, before I got my first glimpse of the MIB Fall catalog, I wanted to know the color story. Would the collection’s swatches be zesty or muted? Could any of the hues transition from late summer to early fall? How would the season’s colors translate into prints?
With Memorial Day receding into memory, we’ve officially entered swimsuit season. This means that many of us are confronted with an annual dilemma: will we spend the summer standing on the shore, or will we take the plunge and enjoy the sun and water?
Many of us are hesitant about wearing a swimsuit in public, and some of us even avoid the backyard pool because of negative body image and low self-esteem. It’s understandable that plus-size women have a hard time navigating the waters of self-acceptance, particularly since many (or maybe most) of our average size sisters are drowning in self-hatred.
Whenever I receive a new MIB catalog in the mail, my heart beats a little faster. I relish delving into the new styles, colors, and fabrications, and appreciate the familiar touchstones that are the staples of my wardrobe. As I savored every page of MIB’s Summer 2008 catalog, I was particularly struck by the variety of two design elements that are important to me: necklines and sleeves. Regular collars and rounded necklines are fine, but I applaud MIB for spicing up many of their designs and with eye-catching necklines. The notched necklines of the
Blue Embroidered Tunic, the
Ada Top, the
Orla Top, and the
Estrella Top are mischievous, while the horseshoe cutout of the
Ursala Tunic is fun and playful. The
Frida Blouse and the
Heather Tee feature square necklines, which are especially flattering on plus-size women and can easily showcase a beautiful necklace.
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